RECIPES: Recipe Details

N'AWLINS KNOCK YOUR SOCKS OFF POST KATRINA BURGERS

Yes, I am from the hurricane Katrina stricken state of Louisiana, but we are bouncing back because we are a resilient bunch. We are trying to put some "normalcy" back into our everyday life, and the city and people of New Orleans continue to perservere. As I submit this recipe, we find ourselves already in another Hurricane season with yet so many unresolved problems, and so many questions without answers. I would like to quote an excerpt from an editorial written by Chris Rose of the Times-Picayune, a week post-Katrina. I read and re-read it often because it gives me such an uplifting sense of hope and pride in what I call HOME.It is a letter written to America: "I suppose we should introduce ourselves: We're South Louisiana. You probably already know that we talk funny and listen to strange music and eat things you'd probably hire an exterminator to get out of your yard. We dance even if there's no radio. We drink at funerals. We talk too much and laugh too loud and live too large and, frankly, we're suspicious of others who don't.Everybody loves their home, we know that. But we love South Louisiana with a ferocity that borders on the pathological. Sometimes we bury our dead in LSU sweatshirts. Often we don't make sense. You may wonder why, for instance - if we could only carry one small bag of belongings with us on our journey to your state - why in God's name did we bring a pair of shrimp boots? We can't really explain that. It is what it is. You've probably heard that many of us stayed behind. As bad as it is, many of us cannot fathom a life outside of our border, out in that place we call Elsewhere. The only way you could understand that is if you have been there, and so many of you have. So you realize that when you strip away all the craziness and bars and parades and music and architecture and all that hooey, really, the best thing about where we come from is us. We are what made this place a national treasure. We're good people. And don't be afraid to ask us how to pronounce our names. It happens all the time. When you meet us now and you look into our eyes, you will see the saddest story ever told. Our hearts are broken into a thousand pieces. But don't pity us. We're gonna make it. We're resilient. After all, we've been rooting for the Saints for 35 years. That's got to count for something. OK, maybe something else you should know is that we make jokes at inappropriate times. But what the hell. And one more thing: In our part of the country, we're used to having visitors. It's our way of life. So when all this is over and we move back home, we will repay to you the hospitality and generosity of spirit you offer to us in this season of our despair. That is our promise. That is our faith." And this is our cookin'. - Leigh Anne, Born and Raised in South Louisiana

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or pre-heat a gas grill to medium-high. To make the FEMA spread, combine the sea salt, white pepper, green chiles, avocado, in a blender, and puree until well blendedTransfer contents to bowl; fold in mustard and mayonaise. cover with clear plastic wrap, and refrigerate until needed. To prepare the GRIS GRIS caramelized onions, warm the olive oil in a 16 inch fire-proof skillet on the grill. Add the onion slices;saute' about 18-20 minutes until transluscent, making sure to frequently stir as to not scorch the onions. Add the butter and brown sugar, continuing to cook for about 6-7 minutes until the onions are a light brown color and most of the liquid has evaporated. Transfer the onions to a stainless steel bowl and cover with aluminum foil, shiny side down, to retain the heat. Put off to the side. To prepare the Katrina patties, combine the ground chuck, sirloin, beaten egg, steak seasoning, white pepper, Worcestishire sauce, minced onion, green chiles, brown sugar, colby cheese, in a large mixing bowl handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it. Divide the mixture into six equal portions and form six equal patties to fit the size of the Kaiser roll. Place a sheet of wax paper between each patty and place on a plate; refrigerate until time to grill. When the grill is ready, brush the grill with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the grill, cover, and cook for 6-8 minutes on each side for medium, or own preference, turning once. During the last minutes of grilling, place Kaiser Roll sliced halves, cut-side down on the grill to lightly toast. Remove the patties to a decorative pewter tray; place the Kaiser rolls in a large bread basket of choice. To assemble the N'AWLINS KNOCK YOUR SOCKS OFF POST KATRINA BURGER, spread FEMA spread on both sides of the Kaiser roll, place a KATRINA patty on one half of the roll, top with GRIS GRIS caramelized onions, and the other half of the Kaiser roll. Pair it with a Sutter Home Cabernet or Pinot Noir, and you have one GREAT Backyard BBQ !!

Comments

These burgers would be great paired with a Sutter Home Cabernet or Pinot Noir. Or if you'd really like to stick with the theme of the sandwich, whip up a batch of Hurricanes, and really get into the season! ENJOY!!!